Page 47 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
“Yeah. What to?”
“Which book did you read over Christmas?”
I walked to the stove. “The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s a favorite.”
For the next hour, we talked about books and ate dinner. Emmy relaxed and we were able to enjoy each other’s company without drama or stress. It was the best meal I’d had in years. Because I was finally with my Emmy.
Emmeline
“What’s wrong?” Nick asked.
“Nothing,” I lied, erasing the scowl on my face.
Nick had just sidestepped the stream of children rushing out the door. He smiled at each of them, but when Rowen Cleary had run up to him, he had picked her up and tossed her in the air, calling her “princess” and asking about her day.
Nick would make a great dad.
It was happening again. Spontaneous Nick thoughts.
That one had come out of nowhere and caused my face to scrunch up. My bat-shit craziness was getting worse.
“What are you doing here?”
“Picking you up for dinner,” he said.
“It’s only three thirty. I prefer to put at least six hours between meals and I ate lunch at noon.”
“I’m not here to take you now, Emmy. But I’m giving you a heads-up that I’ll be back at five thirty. Don’t drive home.”
“You could have texted me all of this,” I said.
“Yeah. But then I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
He crossed the space between us in a millisecond and captured my mouth, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips pressed roughly against mine as his tongue swept my lower lip. Over and over he stroked until my mouth fell open. When his tongue found mine, I melted. Heat erupted throughout my body and my knees gave out.
When I started to sink to the floor, he stopped kissing me but tightened his grip on my waist.
“I’ve got you.” A crooked grin formed on his lips.
I took a moment to steady my legs and stand tall before stepping back a foot. The skin around my mouth was surely pink from the contact with his beard. But at least it would match my flushed cheeks.
“Five thirty,” he said and walked out the door.
Shit.
Thinking clearly was not an option after a Nick kiss but I really needed to pull myself together. I’d spent last night tossing and turning, replaying all the things Nick had told me these last few months.
You’ve always had my heart, Emmy.
We’re it for each other.
I thought about you every day for nine years.
And I thought about what my mother had said. That my heart had already forgiven him and I just needed to get my head straight with that concept.
Sinking into my chair, I let my head fall into my hands. “What am I going to do?”
I tried to picture what our life could be like. Me happy. Nick and I living a normal life. But every time that image popped in my head, it was immediately followed by the vision of me waking up alone to a note that said he was sorry.
